What is the name of the master regulatory genes that lay out the general geographic plan of the human body?

zbeckabee

"A key discovery was the existence of groups of homeobox genes which are responsible for laying down the basic body plan in organisms." A homeobox is a DNA sequence found within genes that are involved in the regulation of development (morphogenesis) of animals, fungi and plants. Genes that have a homeobox are called homeobox genes and form the homeobox gene family. A particular subgroup of homeobox genes are the Hox genes, which are found in a special gene cluster, the Hox cluster (also called Hox complex). Hox genes function in patterning the body axis. Thus, by providing the identity of particular body regions, Hox genes determine where limbs and other body segments will grow in a developing fetus or larva. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeobox_genes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_plan#Bauplan Jan 13 08, 11:16 AM